PhD in Psychology

The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a public research university located in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. It is a smaller university, with a student population of around 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and is known for its strong focus on sustainability and the environment. UNBC offers a variety of programs in areas such as natural resources and environmental studies, health sciences, social sciences, business, and engineering. The university is also recognized for its research excellence, particularly in the areas of health, environment, and natural resources, and has a number of research institutes and centers focused on these areas.

The mission of the Psychology Department at the University of Northern British Columbia is "To develop and disseminate knowledge in psychology, emphasizing areas of relevance to the North, especially the understanding of human health, human development, and social well-being." Welcome from the Chair Faculty in the Department of Psychology at UNBC have wide and varied research and teaching interests. Currently, faculty and student researchers in our department study physiology and behaviour, positive psychology, intercultural communication, ecological and conservation psychology, embodied cognition, and conceptual and language processing. We also have access to national survey data through a Statistics Canada Research Data Centre at the Prince George campus. To see each faculty’s particular research interests, please click on the “Faculty and Staff” link. To see the courses taught in our undergraduate and graduate degree programs, please click on the “Courses” link. If you are interested in pursuing graduate studies in our department, please click on the “Graduate Admissions” link. Please feel free to contact us if you have questions about what we do. Important Forms Honours Application Form Official Registrar Forms - Course Add/Drop, Declaration of Major, Application for Graduation, etc. BSc Program Psychology is the study of behaviour, feelings and thinking. Psychologists study the biopsychosocial and developmental mechanisms and processes that regulate the behaviour of individuals. The goal of the Department of Psychology is to provide advanced knowledge in the substantive areas of Psychology. In addition, the Department provides excellent training that enhances the student's competitiveness for advanced graduate study in Psychology and related areas. The total for the B.Sc. in Psychology (Major or Honours) is 122 credit hours. Note that Honours applications are due on the last day of exams of each term. (A Minor in Psychology is also available; see "Programs - Undergraduate" in the menu to the left.) Changes to the Psychology Program – things to be aware of: The changes to the program take effect as of the 2019/2020 calendar year. As students follow the academic calendar of the year they were admitted, students currently in the program will continue to follow the requirements listed in their calendar year. You will find the requirements for your calendar year by running a degree evaluation through your Student Online Services. Need help? You will find information on how to run a degree evaluation online at www.unbc.ca/advising. Did you know? The Official version of the UNBC Calendar is always the pdf copy! You can find your calendar year by visiting www.unbc.ca/calendar, and clicking on the Calendar Archives link. Transfer credit is tied to when the coursework is completed. The BC Transfer Guide (www.bctransferguide.ca) is a great resource to see how coursework transferred previously and updates to the transfer agreements. Considering taking a class external to UNBC? Be sure to speak with your Student Advisor and complete a Letter of Permission (LOP) request as the Transfer Credit you are expecting may have changed significantly. Visit www.unbc.ca/advising for more information on the LOP process. Concerned about a requirement for your calendar year that is not being offered? Be sure to check in with your Student Advisor to discuss course progression as well as any substitutions and/or provisions that are in place for your calendar year. Have a question about your degree evaluation? If you happen to see a requirement that doesn’t seem to belong (For example a 300 level class populating in the requirement spot for a 200 level) Not to worry – just bring it to the attention of your Student Advisor at your next appointment of via an email and we can adjust it. Other questions? Heard something from another student that concerns you? Please feel free to reach out to your Student Advisor or the Program Chair as they will be able to provide you with the most up to date information. MSc Program The MSc in Psychology at UNBC provides breadth in the substantive and methodological areas of Psychology, with a focus on health and human psychology. The MSc provides advanced research and experiential training so that graduates gain skills beneficial to academic and related areas. PhD Program In addition to the Graduate training goals of the MSc Program, the objective of the PhD program in Psychology is to develop scholars and researchers who can contribute to the larger body of scientific knowledge of psychology through research and have an advanced level of understanding of the psychological sciences including comprehensive knowledge of contemporary theory and evidence in Psychology and a high level of methodological expertise.